Written Answers Wednesday 17 October 2007

Scottish Executive

Access for Disabled People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines have been issued by the police in relation to the abuse of disabled parking bays since 1999.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines have been issued by local authorities in relation to the abuse of disabled parking bays since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Animal Welfare

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what type of animal welfare disposal scheme is appropriate for Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: We believe that an appropriate scheme is one that targets the specific welfare problems faced by light lambs that would normally have been destined for the export trade in the late summer. There is little demand for these animals on the domestic market and their continuing presence on farm is putting pressure on grazing required for other animals.

  The Sheep Welfare Scheme that began on 9 October 2007 is a voluntary scheme that offers farmers £15 per head for lambs under 25kg. We consider that figure represents a fair price for producers without providing an incentive for culling animals for which a market can be found.

Animal Welfare

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whom it has consulted in relation to the development of an appropriate animal welfare disposal scheme.

Richard Lochhead: We consulted a wide range of people and organisations on the development of an animal welfare scheme including representatives of producers, processors, retailers, crofters, auctioneers, members of the Scottish Parliament, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other interested parties.

Animal Welfare

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost of an animal welfare disposal scheme would be.

Richard Lochhead: Under the Sheep Welfare Scheme, up to 250,000 lambs under 25kg will be bought by the Scottish Government at £15 per lamb. The animals will then be slaughtered and rendered or incinerated. Since this is a voluntary scheme, it is difficult to quantify uptake but we estimate the costs to be under £6 million.

Animal Welfare

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the issue of a welfare disposal scheme, in light of the animal welfare and economic issues faced by farmers as a result of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Richard Lochhead: The First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister on 19 September 2007, amongst other things to seek support for a welfare disposal scheme and to request funding at UK level. I have had a number of conversations with the Secretary of State during which I have argued the case for a welfare scheme and outlined our plans for such a scheme. My officials have maintained contact with their counterparts in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in order to keep up-to-date with developments in England. Officials worked with that department to ensure that the State aid communication on the Sheep Welfare Scheme was passed quickly to the European Commission. The scheme opened on 9 October 2007.

Animal Welfare

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to press the case for appropriate and fair financial recompense to farmers who opt into any welfare disposal scheme that is implemented.

Richard Lochhead: The Sheep Welfare Scheme that began on 9 October 2007 is a voluntary scheme that offers farmers £15 per head for lambs under 25kg. We believe that figure represents a fair price for producers without providing an incentive for culling animals for which a market can be found.

Crime

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of internet fraud have been reported to the police in each year since 1999, broken down by force, and what information it has on the number of incidents similarly reported to trading standards offices, broken down by local authority.

Kenny MacAskill: The statistics held centrally on crimes of fraud recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the fraud, such as whether the fraud involved use of the internet. No information about incidents reported to trading standards offices is held centrally.

Crime

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of Scottish consumers who have been the subject of internet consumer fraud in each year since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Crime

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful convictions have been secured against individuals involved in consumer internet fraud in each year since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table. The charges relate to fraud or attempted fraud by electronic means (that is obtaining or attempting to obtain goods or services by computer, electronic or telephone means) and is not limited to transactions over the internet.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Electronic Fraud Offences1,2,3, 1999-2000 to 2005-06

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Scotland
-
-
-
3
6
4
7



  Note:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes Attempted Fraud (Electronic Means) and Fraud (Electronic Means)

  3. Excludes any charges recorded under the offences of general fraud or credit and debit card fraud.

Enterprise

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it is removing all the core skills, training and careers functions from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Fiona Hyslop: The skills and training elements of the enterprise networks (in both Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise) will be part of the new skills body. However, the enterprise networks will retain those interventions which are business specific and which form a crucial part of their account management function. These include leadership development and business mentoring schemes. An early task for the new body will be to improve the local development of skills. Local delivery options and discussions with key partners will now take place and it is my intention to consider the continuation of local delivery by Highlands and Islands Enterprise as one of the options for skills and training in the Highlands and Islands area.

Justice

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken, and in what timescale, to make access to civil justice more affordable to those who do not qualify for legal aid.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Legal Aid Board has commissioned analysis of financial eligibility for civil legal aid and is currently considering the costs and benefits of a tapered system of financial eligibility. We will consider whether there are affordable changes to benefit disregards or income thresholds, including tapered financial eligibility, which can be prudently made before in the context of the current spending review.

  The review of civil courts headed by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Gill, will review the provision of civil justice by the courts in Scotland. Part of its remit includes consideration of the cost of litigation to parties and to the public purse and the role of mediation and other methods of dispute resolution in relation to court process. The review is scheduled to report in 2009.

Marine Environment

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a marine management organisation to control human activity out to the boundary of international waters.

Richard Lochhead: As I have already indicated to the Parliament, I am committed to bringing forward Scottish marine legislation and to consult on this issue. As part of this process, I am considering the range of options for improved delivery of public sector activities on the marine environment, including the establishment of a marine management organisation.

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been injured at work (a) accidentally or (b) as a result of assault in each year since 1999, broken down by force.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is shown in the following table. The available data on assaults does not give any information about whether the officer was injured, nor does it identify the number of officers, since it is possible that an officer may have been assaulted on more than one occasion. There is no information held centrally on the number of police officers who are accidentally injured at work. Police officers are called upon to carry out difficult tasks which can run the risk of serious injury or, in some instances, death. Individual Chief Constables are acutely aware of these risks and ensure that the highest standards of health and safety training and advice are provided to all their staff.

  Assaults on police officers, 1999-2000 to 2006-07

  

 
Central
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife
Grampian
Lothian and Borders
Northern
Strathclyde
Tayside
Scotland


1999-2000
267
14
164
68
304
215
8,713
276
10,021


2000-01
262
11
221
279
299
223
6,670
270
8,235


2001-01
404
111
56
76
313
236
7,045
14
8,255


2002-03
407
176
381
238
269
249
7,506
117
9,343


2003-04
873
448
58
316
41
52
unknown
153
-


2004-05
934
398
356
unknown
205
284
unknown
168
-


2005-06
935
430
34
0
239
222
10,029
15
11,904


2006-07P
940
557
40
66
220
195
10,841
115
12,974



  Source: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s Annual Statistical Returns from police forces.

  Note: Data for 2006-07 is provisional.

Police

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers there have been in each year since 1979, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table. The figures show the number of police officers within each police force on a headcount basis from 1979 to 1999, and on a whole time equivalent basis from 2000 onwards.

  Number of Police Officers by Force, (Head Count), as at 31 December 1979 to 1999.

  

Force
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986


Central
509
512
516
529
538
542
550
549


Dumfries and Galloway
311
308
307
310
313
310
330
338


Fife
671
655
645
650
647
654
670
725


Grampian
932
928
941
937
948
962
970
995


Lothian and Borders 
2,342
2,398
2,388
2,393
2,396
2,387
2,394
2,442


Northern
603
608
599
596
589
611
606
610


Strathclyde
6,905
6,882
6,845
6,833
6,816
6,792
6,816
6,769


Tayside
941
970
953
964
961
967
968
1,000


Scotland
13,214
13,261
13,194
13,212
13,208
13,225
13,304
13,428



  

Force
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994


Central
571
599
619
641
636
649
657
654


Dumfries and Galloway
348
347
348
357
370
387
386
390


Fife
741
751
754
753
775
786
786
789


Grampian
1,017
1,028
1,084
1,138
1,150
1,194
1,193
1,191


Lothian and Borders 
2,414
2,397
2,486
2,463
2,522
2,561
2,558
2,556


Northern
607
615
625
632
633
636
658
643


Strathclyde
6,773
6,768
6,887
6,804
6,790
6,797
6,823
7,003


Tayside
1,005
1,013
1,011
1,053
1,047
1,084
1,078
1,087


Scotland
13,476
13,518
13,814
13,841
13,923
14,094
14,139
14,313



  

Force
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999


Central
659
666
693
719
710


Dumfries and Galloway
392
402
441
446
453


Fife
791
825
852
841
825


Grampian
1,181
1,155
1,195
1,226
1,230


Lothian and Borders 
2,536
2,661
2,699
2,621
2,581


Northern
648
636
645
667
658


Strathclyde
7,156
7,207
7,377
7,186
7,090


Tayside
1,116
1,120
1,148
1,148
1,137


Scotland
14,479
14,672
15,050
14,854
14,684



  Number of Police Officers by Force, (Whole-Time Equivalent), as at 31 December 2000 to 2006.

  

Force
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Central
717
710
728
756
795
827
865


Dumfries and Galloway
463
473
469
486
478
496
496


Fife
845
886
914
956
987
1,022
1,035


Grampian
1,237
1,256
1,248
1,311
1,373
1,368
1,400


Lothian and Borders 
2,640
2,618
2,667
2,717
2,785
2,823
2,783


Northern
647
672
691
676
705
704
697


Strathclyde
7,168
7,226
7,294
7,431
7,615
7,769
7,782


Tayside
1,147
1,154
1,161
1,150
1,169
1,155
1,173


Scotland
14,863
14,995
15,170
15,483
15,908
16,164
16,230



  Source: Quarterly Strength Return from forces.

Regeneration

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding will be provided to community planning partnerships in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities for economic growth.

John Swinney: The government believes community planning partnerships have a significant role to play in joining up the design and delivery of services at local level.

  Future funding decisions will be considered as part of the current strategic spending review.

Regeneration

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be available for business improvements districts and urban regeneration.

John Swinney: Over the two years 2006-08, the Scottish Government has provided significant support for the Business Improvements Districts (BID) pilot programme, allocating around £1.1 million to support the six BID pilots; to fund the BID Scotland Project Director, and to provide marketing, publicity and guidance, including the BID Scotland website. This has allowed the six pilot areas to develop their proposals in preparation for ballots in 2008 and to demonstrate the benefits to be gained from BID projects.

  The government has also put in place the legislative framework necessary to underpin local BID proposals. Now this framework is in place, local businesses in any area can work together with their local authority and other local partners to establish a Business Improvement District.

  Decisions on future support for urban regeneration will be taken in the context of the current Spending Review.

Rural Development

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no farming representation on regional project assessment committees.

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend membership of regional project assessment committees to those in the farming sector.

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend membership of regional project assessment committees to NFU Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: My officials considered with stakeholders very carefully the most appropriate composition of the new Regional Priority Assessment Committees (RPACs). From those discussions, including farmers and the farming industry, it was made clear by stakeholders their strong preference for the RPACs to comprise Scottish Government officials. I understand stakeholders felt this approach would ensure the objective assessment of proposals for funding under Rural Development Contracts Rural Priorities.

  Once funding decisions are made, we shall be publishing the names of beneficiaries and providing feedback through our website on resource allocation and spending trends. This should provide sufficient information for stakeholders to determine whether we are delivering on the Strategic Plan for Rural Development without involving them in individual project assessments.

  Furthermore, in the process of setting the regional priorities that will guide this spending we intend to consult with stakeholders and seek agreement to the proposed priorities through a series of regional meetings.

Scottish Government Finance

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed plans it has for efficiency savings from 2008 to 2011; what assessment it has made of the impact that such savings will have on public services, and when it intends to implement the savings.

John Swinney: As we have said on many occasions before, we plan to deliver efficiency savings of at least 1.5% per year in the period 2008-11. The detail is being informed by work on the Strategic Spending Review 2007. Detailed Efficiency Delivery Plans will be published in March. We expect the programme to support the Public Service Reform agenda and improve service delivery as a consequence of the re-investment of efficiency gains.

Scottish Government Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether HM Treasury has consulted the Executive with a view to undertaking a study of relative spending needs.

John Swinney: No.

Scottish Government Finance

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce legislation on common good funds.

John Swinney: There are no plans at present, however, the future management of common good funds and assets will be considered as part of a review of asset management across the public sector.